Day 26 Thu 17 Apr
A short day, only 12 kilometers to Villafranca de Montes de Oca, perfect weather and the next village always in sight – our kind of walking. The town was full, no more space for another pilgrim.

Beautiful day

Tosantos church in traditional building style

Virgen de la Peña, chapel in the cliffs

Breakfast

Villambista

Villambista, fountain & Ermita

Countryside Castilla y León

Espinosa del Camino

Romanesque burial place of founder of Burgos

Iglesia de Santiago, Villafranca Montes de Oca

Giant conch shell brought from the Philippines used as the font

Antique albergue San Antonio Abad now a hotel

Day 27 Fri 18 Apr
A very cold, clear morning, but we soon warmed up on the stiff 300 meter climb on the Way to Atapuerca, 19 kilometers.  The Way takes us through forest, in days of old dangerous because of bandits.  We enjoyed it; there will be plenty more wheat fields to come. Enroute is the enchanting Avés, World Heritage for its traditional wooden beamed, mud walled houses.

Walking through the forrest

Monument to the disappeared of the Civil War

The magnificent San Juan de Ortega is being restored

The rear of the San Juan de Ortega monastery, restored

Old water fountain, still used by pilgrims

World Heritage Agés

One of the traditional wood and mud houses, Agés

Agés church with its distinctive bell tower

A pilgrim crosses an old bridge near Agés

Atapuerca

Atapuerca site of oldest human inhabitation in western Europe

Pam ponders the menu in a magnificent Atapuerca restaurant ...

... before going for the lamb

Wooden cross marks the high point before Burgos

Day 28 Sat 19 Apr
The punishment for the previous days of ideal walking is the 20 kilometers into Burgos, by far the worst of the Camino. But when you arrive …

Burgos Cathedral, a religious Gothic masterpiece

Day 29 Sun 20 Apr
A day off in Burgos. The plan was to watch the traditional Easter parades from our room overlooking the Cathedral. Unfortunately because of the rain, they were canceled.

Burgos main plaza

Pilgrims departing in the rain

Mudejar entrance to Burgos

Women in traditional Burgos dress going to church

Blood sausage, a Burgos favorite

Just in case you thought there was only one church in Burgos ...

... here is another one

Shell Waymark

Another Waymark

Bar street in siesta; tonight it will packed

Pilgrims leave Burgos by San Martín gate, 12th century Moorish

Water fountain outside Burgos.

Burgos University

Day 30 Mon 21 Apr
Leaving Burgos in the cold (5C) morning, low cloud and rain threatening, we made the 20 kilometers to Hornillos del Camino ( pop 69) without getting wet. The path is mostly off the bitumen and quite pleasant – many pilgrims today. A signed poster of the movie The Way hangs on the wall of tonight’s Hostal de Sol a Sol; the owner’s mother was in the movie.

Tardajos

Tardajos church

Rabé de las Calzadas

Bridge into Hornillos del Camino

Exhausted pilgrims, 11 kilometers to go!

Hornillos del Camino

The Way

Leaving Hornillos del Camino

Day 31 Tue 22 Apr
Leaving Hornillos del Camino on a cold overcast morning, we were surprised to find ourselves alone on the Camino.  Cool weather and a fine dirt track made for easy and quick walking.  We stopped in Hontanas hoping to see the old man drinking wine by poring it on his forehead, but he has retired.  After Hontanas a lovely footpath bought us to Castrojeriz, where we ate a wonderful home cooked meal and were introduced to the delicious white Verdejo of Ruedo.  21 kilometers.

Pilgrims place stones around the Cross

An isolated Albergue

Hontanas

Ruins of Convento de San Anton, 15th century

Albergue inside the ruins

Virgen de Manzano, 9th century

9th century Medieval castle, Castrojeriz

La Taverna, Castrojeriz - great home cooked food and wine

Potato soup, yum!

Water fountain, Castrojeriz

Lovely red stone of San Juan

Day 32 Wed 23 Apr
Soon after Castrojeriz we crossed an ancient stone bridge, now in the middle of a field as the river has changed course; then a steep climb to the flat treeless plains.  After an hour so, in the middle of nowhere we could smell coffee.  An enterprising man had set up a stall behind a stone wall; great coffee too.  A short day today, 12 kilometers into a strong cold wind to Itero de la Vega.

Ancient bridge now crosses fields; the river has changed course

12% gradient for 1.5 kilometers

We could smell the coffee 100 meters away

Ermita de San Nicolás, 13th century Albergue

The magnificent Puente Fitero

Rollo de Justicia - symbol of jurisdictional independence, prisoners were chained to it

San Pedro, 16th century, Itero de la Vega

Day 33 Thu 24 Apr  
Another cool overcast day, another quality dirt track. There were hordes of pilgrims yesterday, yet today we traveled all alone along the Camino. Boadilla del Camino has a magnificent Rollo de Justicia. It is a symbol of the jurisdictional independence of the area, granted by the King in the 15th century. Prisoners were sometimes chained to the Rollo. Also in this area are many dovecotes, providing fertilizer and dinners for the farmers. Soon after, we walked along the tow path of the Canal de Castilla for 3 kilometers to Frómista. The canal was built in the 18th century, runs over 200 kilometers and was used until 1959 to export grains from the plains of Castilla. Only14 kilometers for us today.  

Dovecotes provide fertilizer and dinners for the farmers

Santa María, 16th century. Boadilla del Camino

Rollo de Justicia, symbol of jurisdictional independence, 15th century

Canal de Castilla 200 kilometers long, 18th century

Canal lock at Frómista

Santa María del Castillo (14th century), Frómista

Beautiful Romanesque San Martin, built 1066

San Pedro - note the raised roof to control the temperature inside is found only in this region

Whilst we were having lunch in Frómista, we were chatting to the owner of the cafe. She said that the very best churches in the whole area were nearby, within 10 kilometers and offered to drive us. She was right! Churches in this region are unique; they have raised roofs to allow airflow for temperature control; the few windows are high up as a defensive measure, but still arranged to light inside. The huge San Hipólito el Real, 14th century Gothic, in Támara symbolizes the power, strength and majesty of the old Spain. We were lucky enough to be shown around inside by one of the villagers. In Santoyo, the beautiful San Juan Bautista , Romanesque in origin was completed in Gothic style. Both these villages are full of history and the Camino used to run through them. Now they are starting to decay, a pity.

San Hipólito el Real, 14th century Gothic, in Támara

One of the Europe's oldest organs in San Hipólito el Real

Huge baptismal font, wonderfully decorated

Támara

Village house, Támara

Santoyo, San Juan Bautista, Romanesque in origin completed in Gothic style